Our Services

Surgery - Same Day

Outpatient Surgical Procedures

For questions about your surgery at Silver Cross Hospital, call (815) 300-5930. Hundreds of surgeries, which once required a hospital stay, are now being done on an outpatient basis. The Department of Surgical Services at Silver Cross Hospital offers state-of-the-art surgical suites and equipment, resulting in shorter stays and less recuperation time for the patient.

It is important for you to understand what will take place when you come to Same Day Surgery for your procedure. Following are some answers to any questions you may have concerning your outpatient experience.

PreparationCheck with your surgeon to determine if you need to discontinue any medications prior to surgery such as Coumadin or Plavix (blood thinners).

Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. Doing so could cause serious complications. No gum chewing, communion wafers or hard candy. Smoking and alcohol are prohibited for 24 hours before surgery. Noncompliance with these requirements could result in cancellation of your surgery.

Please bring a list of your medications with names and doses.

If you are instructed to take medications the morning of your surgery, do so with a sip of water only. If you have diabetes, do not take your insulin or diabetic medications on the day of your surgery. Bring any prescribed inhalers.

Take a bath or shower the night before or the morning of your surgery.

Clothing & Accessories:

- Wear loose, simple clothing- Remove all jewelry, including body piercing - Leave all valuables at home- Bring with you insurance cards, eye glasses with case and your hearing aids with case- If you wear contact lenses, you will need to remove them prior to surgery. Bring a case.- Don't wear makeup or metal hair clips.

If you become ill with a fever, cold or flu, you must notify your surgeon immediately.

Review any Advanced Directives with your family, such as power of Attorney for healthcare or a Living Will. If you have these, bring copies for your chart.

The Day of Surgery Registration will begin in the Arthur and Vera Smith Pavilion. If you do not speak or write English, please bring a translator with you to interpret. The Same Day Surgery staff will prepare you for surgery. Your vital signs will be checked and an IV may be started, along with any other special preparation ordered by your doctor.

An anesthesiologist will explain his/her role and answer any questions you may have concerning your anesthesia. You will meet other members of the surgical team before going to the operating room. The type of surgery and your response to anesthesia will determine the length of stay.

Admission to Silver Cross Hospital It may be necessary for you to be admitted to the hospital even though you were expecting to be discharged the same day. Your doctor will determine the need for this based on your medical condition. Your safety is our primary concern.

For Family & Friends Waiting Every effort is made to respect your needs and minimize waiting time. The following information can help you make appropriate arrangements for the day of surgery:

Please refrain from bringing children under the age of 12 to the Same Day Surgery waiting area

Snacks and beverages are available in the surgical waiting room and the cafeteria is open to visitors

The surgeon will report on the patient's condition post-operatively

Discharge Instructions You will be given written home care instructions prior to discharge. You MUST have a responsible adult to accompany you home. You will be taken via wheelchair to meet your driver when you have met the discharge criteria for Same Day Surgery.

What You Need to Know about Infections after Surgery: A Fact Sheet for Patients and Their Family Members Most patients who have surgery do well. But sometimes patients get infections. This happens to about 3 out of 100 patients who have surgery. Infections after surgery can lead to other problems. Sometimes, patients have to stay longer in the hospital. Patients and their family members can help lower the risk of infection after surgery. Here are some ways:

Days or weeks before surgery: Meet with your surgeon.

Bring an up-to-date list of all the medications you take. Talk with your surgeon about why you take each medication and how it helps.

Let the surgeon know if you are allergic to any medication and what happens when you take it.

Tell the surgeon if you have diabetes or high blood sugar, or if family members do.

Talk about ways to lower your risk of getting an infection. This may include taking antibiotic medicines.

The day or night before surgery: Take extra good care of your body.

Do not shave near where you will have surgery. Shaving can irritate your skin which may lead to infection. If you are a man who shaves your face every day, ask your surgeon if it is okay to do so.

Keep warm. This means wearing warm clothes or wrapping up in blankets when you go to the hospital. In cold weather, it also means heating up the car before you get in. Keeping warm before surgery lowers your chance of getting an infection.

At the time of surgery:

Tell the anesthesiologist (doctor or nurse who puts you to sleep for surgery) about all the medications you take. A good way to do this is to bring a written up-to-date medication list with you.

Let the anesthesiologist know if you have diabetes or high blood sugar, or if family members do. People with high blood sugar have a greater chance of getting infections after surgery.

Ask for blankets or other ways to stay warm while you wait for surgery. Find out how you will be kept warm during and after surgery. Ask for extra blankets if you feel cold.

Ask if you will get antibiotic medicine. If so, find out how many doses you will get. Most people receive only one dose before surgery and are on antibiotics for just one day after surgery, as taking too much can lead to other problems.You can learn more about Surgical Site Infection as it relates to the 5 Million Lives Campaign at www.ihi.org.

5 Million Lives Campaign The 5 Million Lives Campaign is a national initiative to dramatically improve the quality of American health care. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and its partners seek to engage thousands of U.S. hospitals in an effort to reduce harm for five million American patients between December 2006 and December 2008. This ambitious work builds upon the great energy and commitment shown by hospitals during the 100,000 Lives Campaign, a national, IHI-led initiative focused on reducing unnecessary mortality and that ran from December 2004 to June 2006. Complete details, including materials, contact information for experts, and web discussions, are on the web at www.ihi.org/IHI/Programs/Campaign/.

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* Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.